Walmart has announced a multi-billion dollar investment in Mexico to expand its operations in the country, adding stores and opening new distribution centers in Tlaxcala and the Bajío region.
During President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Thursday morning press conference, CEO of Walmart Mexico and Central America Ignacio Caride said that the retail giant will invest US $6 billion to open more stores and establish two new next-generation distribution centers in Mexico.
Caride said that the investment will create over 5,500 jobs in addition to the 200,000 jobs Walmart already provides in Mexico.
“As part of the investment, this year we will open more stores in our Aurrera, Sam’s Club, Walmart Supercenter, and Walmart Express formats, creating approximately 5,500 direct jobs,” Caride said.
The new stores will add to the 3,200 stores that already operate in all 32 states of Mexico.
“Walmart de México’s mission is to help people save money and live better across the country,” Caride said. “To achieve this, we’re strengthening our long-term commitment to this great country.”
The new state-of-the-art distribution centers will be built in the Bajío region and in the state of Tlaxcala. These centers will be equipped with robotics and artificial intelligence applications, supplementing the 21 distribution centers already operating Mexico.
Ximena Escobedo, head of the Institutional Strategy and Organization Unit of the Economy Ministry, said Walmart’s investment is very important for Sheinbaum’s economic plan, Plan México, for two reasons. First, because Walmart has 30,000 suppliers, with 85% being small and medium-sized businesses. Second, because 83% of products sold in Walmart stores across the country are made in Mexico.
“For over a decade, we have supported small agricultural producers in Mexico to help them formalize their operations, grow, access financing and become our direct suppliers without intermediaries,” Caride highlighted.
In a separate announcement, Walmart Mexico reported through the Mexican Stock Exchange that its capital expenditure for 2025 will amount to approximately 41.8 billion pesos (US $2 billion) for all of Mexico and Central America — 20% more than the 34.8 billion pesos (US $1.7 billion) invested in 2024.
Sheinbaum’s ambitious Plan Mexico seeks to place Mexico among the top 10 economies in the world through investment incentives and collaboration between the government and the private sector.
With reports from El Economista
